A Chronological Account
by Erra
Summary: Over their seven years at Hogwarts, Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley have met every so often by chance.
1. First Year

First story! Review, if you can! Annnddd...I just hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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"Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains," my dad said in an undertone, while attempting to subtly look at Malfoy's son.

I watched as my mother started to reprimand my father on his comment.

"Don't get_ too_ friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood," my dad said, slightly serious. Okay, maybe he was totally serious. My mother laughed and rolled her eyes. I made a face. _Married_?

I zoned out as James started talking about Victoire and Teddy snogging (Didn't he know about that already? Honestly, they've been at it for _months_.), and turned my gaze upon the Scorpius boy that my parents were talking about.

Squinting through the smoky haze, I was startled to see Scorpius staring straight back at me. He looked me and my Hogwarts robes up and down, all the way from my shoes to the top of my hair. As his grey eyes made the journey back to my face, his pointed nose was already raised in an air of smugness. He smirked at me.

I blushed in anger, feeling my ears go hot. Who did he think he was, looking at me like that? Why, he was absolutely rude, he didn't even have a reason f—

"Rosie, have a good trip and say hello to the headmistress and Neville for me," my mother kissed me on the head.

"Don't get attacked my any trolls, don't be a know-it-all, don't talk about Hogwarts, A History in front of your classmates, and it's okay to be a little scared during the sorting, really, it's not a big deal, in fact it might help you fit in a bit, because your mother—"

"Ron. Stop it. It'll be fine. Rosie, write to us, alright? And don't let James give you any trouble. If he does I'll just talk to his mother about that, she'll give him some sense,"

"Alright mum, see you at Christmas," I grinned, hugging her. I boarded the Hogwarts Express, and waved to Aunt Ginny while waiting for Albus to get into the carriage with me. When he did, he immediately noticed all the children staring our way and asked why, absolutely bewildered. I sighed, it was obviously because of—

"Don't let it worry you. It's me. I'm extremely famous." My dad said.

For the first time that day I laughed, and I suddenly felt a jolt as the train started to move. I watched my parents and waved, as Uncle Harry walked alongside the train, until, suddenly, the train turned and they disappeared. I swiveled around, surveying Albus.

"Come on, let's go find a compartment," I beckoned him over, and we walked through the train's narrow hallway. Albus's look of excitement had started to fade, and was replaced by nervousness again. As we walked, everyone stared at us—or rather, Albus—from their own compartments. I rolled my eyes.

"You're going to have to get used to this, you know," I mumbled, as I led the way.

"Get used to what?" he asked back.

"The staring, of course! Look at all these people, acting like they've never seen a Potter before. James has been here long enough, hasn't he? It's absolutely bizarre, you're just like the rest of them,"

Albus looked nonchalant. "James told me it would go away after a while. He said it was like this for him, too,"

"Well I really do hope so, this would make me be horrible at concentrating on anything. I'd get such bad marks—oh, is this good Albus?" I pointed to the empty compartment we finally found at the very end of the train. As I reached out to open the sliding door, a pale hand suddenly clasped the door's edge as well.

I looked up and saw the familiar pointed face.

"Oh, er, would you like to sh—"

"Oh, it's _you_,"

I looked at the blonde, a bit taken aback. I was starting to like this boy less and less. "Excuse me? Would you like to kindly accept my generous offer to let you share this compartment with me, or am I going to have to ask you to sod off?" I said fiercely, my Weasley-Granger hair puffing up considerably.

He smoothed his blonde hair out of his face before speaking, trying to regain composure. I suspected he wasn't expecting my outburst. "Why thanks, but no, sodding off doesn't sound that good to me," he said back, rather calmly.

"Alright, I'm going to assume you're agreeing to the former then," I slid the compartment door open roughly, stepping inside with a slightly dumbfounded Albus trailing behind me. I suddenly noticed the olive-skinned girl standing behind the Malfoy boy. She had wavy dark hair and high cheekbones that matched well with her aristocratically narrow, disdainful eyes.

We sat down, me on one side with Albus, and the tall girl and Malfoy opposite us.

"Are you really Albus Potter?" the girl said, looking at us with blue eyes, searching for deception.

"Um. Yes. I—I am." Albus stuttered. I stared at him. Could he please try to be a little more composed? Really.

"See, Scorpius? I _told_ you Harry Potter's other son would be going to Hogwarts with us this year," she said, smirking in his direction. Malfoy just stared at her with a bored look on his face.

"Sorry, but who are you?" I asked the girl, absolutely confused. She gazed back at me with a look that said it all. That I was, already, like, supposed to know or something. I stared back.

"My name's Elise Zabini. This is my first year here. And you?" she extended a graceful hand. I stared at her long fingers. Was it even allowed to be so composed at only eleven? I shook it with my own freckled hand. "Why are you wearing your Hogwarts robes already, anyways?" she looked at my clothes.

"Just to, er, be prepared, I guess. I'm Rose. Rose W—"

"Really, Elise, you don't know? This is the daughter of the famed Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. I don't know how you get around not knowing these things. I thought your father had connections with all the old wizarding families?" he leaned back with a knowing gleam in his eye. I blushed. I didn't think he'd know my parents' names.

Albus looked confused. Elise opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off.

"But—But my mum's a muggleborn. My dad's full, though," I finished, quite lamely.

"Really? Oh. Well, isn't that…very interesting, then," she shifted a bit in her seat. Just as I was about to ask what she meant, though, the blonde boy started to speak.

"What? But, isn't your mum Hermione Granger? She's a muggleborn? The girl who was top of our parents' grade? How is that possible then? Well, next to my father of course, she came second to him, obviously—"

"Wait a minute, what does it matter if she's _muggleborn_?!" I said angrily, my voice crescendoing to a loud yell "And she wasn't _second best _to your _father, _of all people, she was first, she even went back to school after the war, she didn't have to, that's more than your lying scum of a father could have said for himself! I bet your father felt disgraced being beaten by a_ mudblood girl_, huh, Malfoy? Your name's Malfoy, isn't it? Well, I've heard all about your family, all of you are blonde, pretentious, and have more money than they deserve—" I was standing up now, I don't know when I stood up—I was just sitting down a minute ago wasn't I? But wait, he was standing up too—

Malfoy's pale cheeks were suddenly tinged with pink. I almost laughed at his frazzled state. "_My father is not a liar_! And, _I've _heard all about your father's side of the family too! _Red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford_, that's what my grandfather told me—"

"Take that back!" I shouted, taking out my new wand (twelve-and-a-half inches, ash with dragon heartstring core, if you must know. Mr. Ollivander told me it was _quite_ the catch, and I must say I agree.)

"Please, you don't even know how to use a wand yet, let alone a single spell!" he snickered, not even bothering to take out his own wand.

Well, he was _rather _mistaken, actually. I had read all my school books cover to cover over the summer (Four times. Each. While taking notes. ) and I was pretty sure (Okay, I was a little more than "pretty sure".) I could say one of the couple dozen spells I memorized and have a particularly pleasing (read: incredibly awesome) outcome. Just as I was about to raise my wand, though, Albus reached for my hand.

"Don't, Rose. It's not worth it. You don't want to get in trouble on your first day," he looked at me with his emerald-green eyes. I lowered my wand, feeling myself calm down a bit.

I stared at I finally replied, "You're right Albus. We don't need to sit with these pureblood fanatics. Come on," I got up, pulling Albus with me. Just as I was about to shut the door, though, I heard Elise say "I suppose that's to be expected of filth like that," I could practically see her rolling her eyes. "I could have taken her, if I had to," I heard Malfoy drawl. I saw Albus suppress a laugh at his comment. "What?" I asked as we made our way down the narrow hall again. Albus just looked at me, and I felt like I was suddenly the stupid one. "He was right about your name, but he'll never be right about that," he said, while walking ahead of me.

I turned back and looked at the last compartment, smirking in a prideful way that, I noted duly, was much too similar to Malfoy's sneer.


	2. Second Year

Second one's up--I can't believe I wrote more than last time! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Copyright J. K. Rowling.

* * *

I shoved the thick red curtains out of the way.

"James! _James! James, wake up!_" I prodded at James' waist. He groggily opened his eyes and yawned. "Whuh?" he mumbled. I stared at him with manic, wide-open eyes. "James, give me the invisibility cloak. And the Marauder's Map. Please?" He shifted his weight onto his elbow and scratched his head.

"Are you mad?" He asked, rubbing his eyes. I almost nodded.

"No, I swear, I just need it for something. Please? You owe me. You owe me and you know it, James Sirius Potter, now give me the cloak and map!" I said impatiently.

"Rose, it's two in the morning. Go back to—that was one essay! That was only one time! I _owe_ you nothing!" he sprung up from bed, disheveled. I glared at him. He _so did owe me,_ that potions essay was _so_ easy, and he had to get me, his cousin, to check his work. I didn't even tell anyone. He begged me not to—ashamed of being stupider than a second year, I expect—and now he was telling me he didn't owe me anything?

"Fine. I'll just tell your dad how you stole the map off of his desk without him knowing—"

"Alright, alright! They're under my bed in my trunk. In the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes box. Just give it back to me tomorrow. I'm going back to bed," he flung the sheets under him and pulled the curtains back into place.

I grinned and crawled under his bed, pulling out the trunk. I opened the maroon-colored box and shoved some Puking Pastilles out of the way, grabbing the old piece of weathered parchment and slipping the cool, liquid-like invisibility cloak on.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," I tapped the map with my wand.

I carefully put the trunk back under the bed and went out onto the spiral staircase. As I passed a window, I quickly looked at the reflection to make sure the invisibility cloak was working. Even though Uncle Harry told us it would always work no matter what, I still felt obligated to check anyways.

While I ambled out of the portrait door, the Fat Lady suddenly jerked awake and sleepily said "What? Who goes there?" I walked as swiftly as possible away from the portrait without making too much noise. I pulled my pink bathrobe tighter and hurried down to the fourth floor.

Reaching my destination, I grasped the bronze knob and tried to turn it. It was locked. I took out my wand and pointed it at the lock. I whispered an "_Alohamora,_" and opened the door. Carefully, I stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind me.

I looked around and checked to see if anyone was there. I breathed a sigh of relief, I was alone. I stopped for a second and inhaled deeply. The smell of musty books, for some reason, was strangely calming for me.

"_Lumos_," I whispered, as I neared the Restricted Section. I ducked under the rope and padded into the potions section.

I scanned the bookshelf until my eyes landed on the book I was looking for. I grasped the book with my left hand and examined the dusty cover.

"_Moste Potente Potions_…excellent," I whispered, smiling to myself as I tucked the hardcover under my arm. I had wanted to try to make the Polyjuice Potion for ages, ever since mum had mentioned it in passing last Christmas while all the grown-ups were drunk with firewhisky and mulled mead, talking about their days at Hogwarts.

I headed out of the restricted section feeling extremely accomplished, when I heard a creak of a floorboard. I froze in my tracks, and turned around apprehensively.

It was Scorpius Malfoy clad in plaid blue-green pajamas and black slippers on his feet with a lantern, making his way towards the middle of the library. I tried to back away from him, but as I crept backwards I suddenly knocked into a desk. I immediately regretted not checking the map when I came in.

"Ouch!" I whispered, rubbing the part on my back where the table had hit. I turned around hastily and looked at Malfoy.

"Hello? I-is a-a-anyone there?" He said in a very high voice, looking over at the desk I had just knocked into. I tried to run for it towards the door, but suddenly the library door creaked open, revealing a gleeful Peeves. He flew down next to Malfoy.

"Why it's a little widdle Malfoy! What fun, what fun! Wandering around in the library, now? Looking for something..._restricted_?" Peeves did a cartwheel on one of the bookcases.

"No! I wasn't!" he said, outraged and scared at the same time. I stared at Peeves and Malfoy, wondering if I should watch or leave. My sadistic nature told me to stay. I really did hate Malfoy, after all.

Malfoy turned his blonde head, looking quite longingly at the door. He too, I suspected, was wondering what his chances were of leaving the library safely were.

Peeves gasped mockingly, swooping down towards the restricted section's roped-off point. Horrified, I immediately realized that the rope was still dangling from the post.

"Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful! You've been stealing! STUDENT IN THE RESTRICTED SECTION! STEALING BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY!"

Peeves zoomed out of the library and screamed some more. I rolled my eyes and shoved the Marauder's Map into my pocket. I couldn't _believe_ I was going to do this.

I ran out towards Malfoy and flung the cloak over him, grasping my wand in my right hand and throwing my hand onto his mouth, dragging him into a corner.

"Mmf!! MMMMFF!!" he thrashed, his grey eyes wide with surprise. "Shut up!" I whispered loudly, "Do you _want_ to get caught?"

He turned towards me, seeing his savior for the first time. His eyes became even bigger when he saw it was me. He moved my hand out of the way of his mouth. "_Weasley_? What the—what the_ hell_!?"

"_No, I'm bloody Voldemort_," I said sarcastically. I grimaced as I wiped my hand on his pajamas. I sat down against the wall, yanking him closer so the invisibility cloak would cover us both. "What—what is this? Is this—is this an _invisibility cloak_?" he said, shocked to see that I would have such a thing. I, for some extremely odd reason, replied, saying "Yes, it's my Uncle's. Now, _shut up_, will you?"

"My father was right! He said that the Potters had an invisibility cloak and—" I clamped my hand over his mouth again, as Neville, Peeves, and Madam Pince came into the library, with their wands alit.

"Hello?" Neville said, looking around the room. "Peeves, is anyone really here?" he looked disbelievingly at his bobbing figure.

"Yes, your professorness! In the restricted section!" he flew away, cackling, leaving Madam Pince and Neville alone in the library.

"I'm going to look over there," Madam Pince shuffled towards the other end of the library. Neville examined the rope hanging from the post. "Madam Pince? I don't think anyone was here," he sighed, putting the rope back in its place. "It was just Peeves playing a joke again,"

"I'm telling the headmaster about that poltergeist—this is the third time this year he's said someone's broken in here! What nonsense!" she shook her head, heading out the door with Neville. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on," I stood up with Malfoy and we headed out the library. I went into a deserted corridor nearby and stopped. "_This_ is where you get off," I mumbled, lifting the cloak up. He shuffled out, and said "Well, I can obviously handle it from here," he drawled (or at least as much as someone can drawl while whispering).

"Fine,"

"Fine,"

We stood there awkwardly in our pajamas and slippers. "Thanks," he said very quietly. He looked away and headed down the corridor.

"You're welcome, Malfoy!" I called out from under the cloak. He lifted a hand while walking away.

* * *

**1 Month Later**

I poured the muddy potion into a flask, sealing it shut with a charm and tying it onto a school owl. I was sending the Polyjuice Potion to my parents as a joke. My mother would be furious, I expected, but quite proud anyways. My father would be ecstatic and have a good laugh with Uncle Harry about it. I smiled at the thought.

I scrawled a quick note to my parents.

_-Mum & Dad_

_I made it myself. I hope you'll enjoy!_

_Hoping you're well._

_-Rose_

I sent the owl on its way and headed out of the tower. Once I was out, I saw Malfoy with a load of books in his arms, hobbling towards the library. "What's this, Malfoy? Are you—" I gasped for effect, putting my hand to my mouth, "_studying_?" I laughed at the absurdity of it.

"Well, yes, Weasley. Can't loose to someone like you now, can I? It would be disgraceful,"

"If I remember correctly Malfoy, I graduated last year with top marks on the final exams!" I said, crossing my freckly arms.

"Which is exactly why I've got to beat you this year! Have fun coming second!" he walked away, smirking.

I shook my head and figured that things would never change. No matter that I saved his neck from loosing fifty house points, or from getting massive detentions only a month ago.

I smiled like the idiot that I wasn't and realized that was okay, too.

This was _much_ more fun than being friends.

* * *

I hope everyone's having a good summer. I'll update soon, I've got the whole thing planned out so it shouldn't take too long!

So? How was it? Reviews are made of awesome so please do so, it'll only take a minute :)

-E


	3. Third Year

Sorry for the slightly delayed update, everybody! I got a bit lazy and had a bit of a block. Enjoy! The word count's around **2,700 words,** which is quite a bit for me. My other chapters were all around 1,700 words. So this will hopefully hold you all off for a while until I get the next one up. ;D

Disclaimer: copyright JKRowling.

* * *

The air was magnificently crisp and cold. We all had to pull on all the wool clothes Grandmum had ever knit for us, just so we could go to Hogsmeade without getting sick.

"So, are you going to do your Christmas shopping over there?" Albus asked, shoving a brown hat over his black hair.

"Yeah, I think I am. I'm going to buy mum a nice quill, I think. And dad will probably enjoy some stuff from Honeydukes,"

"Honeydukes? For your dad, Weasley? What is he, a child or something?" A familiar voice came from behind me.

I swiveled around, my auburn hair whipping at my face. "Shut up, Malfoy," I glared at him. His blonde hair was topped off with a black cap and he had handsome gloves (the material was probably dragon's skin, I thought for a fleeting moment) on that matched his boots. He also looked me up and down (how many times must that happen??), his eyebrows lifting as he stared at my wool scarf, sweater, hat, earmuffs, and gloves that were all mismatched. I felt my ears go hot under my thick hair. Albus, too, looked uncomfortable.

"Are you really going to Hogsmeade looking like _that_?" Elise strutted up towards us, stopping when she was next to Malfoy. She seemed to have voiced his exact thought. She tossed her silky hair over her shoulder with a smug look on her face.

"Well, we are warm," Albus said defiantly, "Bet you've never had anyone knit something for you,"

Albus was right. All of us would wear our sweaters during the holidays, I'd even borrow dad's old R-emblazoned ones sometimes. I stood up a little straighter, and saw that Albus did the same. I noted that his emerald-green scarf and hat brought his eyes out, and I thought he looked quite good for today. I smiled at my cousin.

Elise, on the other hand, rolled her eyes anyways. It was clear that she didn't give an owl's hoot about knitted clothing.

"Move along 'ere, move along," Filch came out of nowhere with his scraggly cat, beckoning the crowd towards the carriages that were to take us to Hogsmeade.

"Come on, Scorpius. Let's go get a carriage, far away from _these_ people," she grabbed his arm, narrowing her eyes at me and Albus. They trudged off, stepping into the clear white snow.

I scowled in their direction, and rubbed my runny nose. I felt a slight headache coming on, a cold that had barely showed any signs for the past week threatened to get worse. I sighed.

"Come on, Al, we should find a carriage, we'll get sick,"

We spent the journey looking out the window and pointing out the things covered in snow. It was only our second trip to Hogsmeade, but for the upperclassmen Hogsmeade had already lost its charm. I had watched the fifth and seventh years studying in the common room before I left. Looking out the snowy window, I grinned, glad for once that I didn't have to stay in and study.

When we arrived, we immediately went into Honeydukes. I breathed in the warm, sugary air that filled the shop and went immediately over to the special chocolate section, avoiding the jelly slugs.

"Ro, can we both get something for Teddy? This is going to be expensive," Albus pointed to the large slab of chocolate (Honeyduke's Best Homemade Chocolate).

"Ooh, that's excellent! Teddy loves chocolate,"

We spent a lot of our time picking out candy for gifts. I bought my father a large box of chocolate frogs (he still collects them), and bought a big bag of Bertie Bott's Beans for James.

* * *

A couple hours later, we were giddy with sweets and butterbeer. Albus and I walked up the white path, absolutely beaming with joy, swinging our bags as we trudged up the hill.

Albus suddenly stopped, grasping at his head. "Oh no! I forgot my hat in the Three Broomsticks!"

"I'll come look for it with you," I began to go back with him.

"Ro, you can stay here, I know you wanted to see the Shrieking Shack," he started walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh, no, it's alright Al! I'll come!" I started running to catch up with him. He waved his hand, telling me to go back. "No, I'll meet you near the carriages later! It's okay!" he dashed away on the path.

I stood there, with the wind nipping at my nose and cheeks. I sighed, and made my way towards the Shrieking Shack. It was no use not going just because Albus wasn't there.

As I reached the rickety house, I leaned on the fence surrounding it, taking it in, with the white scenery and light dusting of snow falling from the sky. I inhaled, breathing in the cold air. I remembered all the stories my mum told me about. This was where so much had happened…

I suddenly sneezed. "Achoo!" I yelped, feeling incredibly fatigued. I sniffed, walking over to a rock and sitting on it, realizing that everything was suddenly getting a little dizzying. I lifted my wrist up, checking the time on my watch. Soon, I'd have to get back. I felt a little relieved, my cold was definitely getting to me. I wanted to get back to the castle as soon as possible, and just drink something warm. I grinned at my sudden fantasy of drinking hot tea.

I got up, heading towards the village. I felt my knees go weak as I started to walk. I trudged upwards, trying to fight it off until I got a little farther. I gave a yell as I tripped over a rock hidden under the snow. I tumbled down, feeling the ground get rockier as I, alarmed, tried to grasp onto something as I slipped down the hill, suddenly falling into a small, shallow dent in the snow that was concealed by a log in front of it. I tried to get up, but failed, as my legs and arms were getting number with the weather and my cold getting worse.

I lay down, feeling the snow hit my face, the flakes obscuring my view by sticking onto my eyelashes. I felt incredibly tired.

"Help!" I barely yelled, trying to get my voice over the sound of the wind. "Help! Please, is anyone there?" I tried again, struggling to get up on my hands. "Help," I started to say. "H-help, please..." I trailed off, feeling my mouth slacken and my eyes droop. I started to shiver, feeling the cold sink into my skin. My limbs felt _so_ heavy.

I tried to take out my wand, but I had no idea how to get out of this with magic. My thick clothes combined with my weak limbs wouldn't really get me to do anything useful. I pointed at my clothes and uttered a spell to get them dry and warm. It helped. I sighed in relief, the warmth making me feel somewhat awake again.

I was about to get up when I heard voices. I heard some of the conversation…

"This is supposed to be haunted, you know," a girl said. I felt my brow furrow. Who was that? I had heard that voice before. Maybe it was only yesterday? Maybe it was only today? Maybe it was a year ago? I felt my mind starting to go a little delirious.

"I suppose it could be. Those are just stupid rumors, though," I heard a voice say snobbishly. I felt a sort of electricity go through me. Was that--?

"Scorpius, please. Nobody can break into it, I've heard all about it from the villagers. They all say noises used to come out of it,"

"Yeah, but wasn't that from a werewolf that the school had let in as a student? Remy, or something? What was his name?"

"I don't know. Someone stupid, I suppose. A werewolf? Really, Scorpius?"

"Yeah, my father told me, he even became a teacher here. He was poor, too,"

"No he didn't, that's utter rubbish! What kind of school hires a werewolf?" the girl laughed. I remembered the laugh. It was a kind of ha-ha-ha that you _know _only people who think very highly of themselves use. I knew, because of this, that the girl's voice was definitely Elise.

"I suppose. Yeah, that is a little ridiculous. I'll ask my father again, he was probably just tricking me," Scorpius laughed. I hacked a cough. I suddenly remembered that I had to get out, or else I'd be stuck out here in the cold.

"What was that?" Elise said, suddenly alarmed. "It came from over there," I heard her say. I made a face. Anything was better than being found by those two, but I couldn't just be left out here. I coughed again.

"L-let's go, Elise," I heard Scorpius say. I groaned, I needed someone out here, now. He owed me a favor!

"No! Wait, go check it out!"

"_What?_ Why should I do that??" I heard him ask, in a very high-pitched voice. I almost laughed. This _was _a Slytherin, after all. I couldn't expect him to be brave anyways.

"Just go see what it is!"

"Fine! Just—just come with me," Scorpius said this part very fast.

"No way! You do it!" Elise said shrilly, and I heard a groan, and some footsteps coming, crunching in the snow.

I coughed again, struggling to get up. I shook the snow out of my hair.

Scorpius suddenly came into view, somewhat towering above me, on the other side of the log. I looked at him, kind of desperately, trying to get him to do something. He just stared at me, absolutely blank. All of the sudden, I violently shivered, and I tried to feel my fingers but they wouldn't move. I stared helplessly at him. I attempted to get up again, but this time my feet wouldn't work. He simply stared at me.

I sneezed, and my eyes become watery, blurring my view of him. In my blurred view, he became a hazy, black-coated, distorted entity. I almost thought he was a kind of angel. A black knight, or something.

I blinked.

It was just stupid Scorpius, standing in the snow.

And then he was gone. I heard an amused voice say, "It was nothing! Let's head back!"

Wait, what?

What the hell?

And then, footsteps. Going farther and farther away. I was alone again. I tried to process what just happened. I couldn't grasp it. Was it all just a figment of my incredibly delusional, hallucinating mind?

No, wait. Scorpius had shown up. He had seen me in the snow, unable to help myself. And then all he did, all he did was go back, not helping, not even saying anything to anybody. My anger that was previously fueled by his arrogance got even worse, and now, with his cowardly response to my helpless state made me even more angry.

Somehow, that anger got me to get up, and stumble through the snow, up back into the village. I felt myself fall forward onto the paved road, but this time, somebody came.

"Rose? Is that you?" I heard a familiar voice, much more familiar than Elise's or Scorpius'. I turned my head, rubbing my red nose, blinking.

"James," I mumbled, sneezing again. I felt miserable and pathetic. How could one get so sick in only a couple hours? And then I remembered I was in a snowy ditch for a while, with no assistance or anything. Oh yeah.

"Merlin! What happened to you? Are you—are you sick?" he ran up to me. He felt my forehead, taking off his gloves. "You've got a fever! What the hell? Why are you out here like this?" he somehow got me onto his back. I wrapped my hands around his shoulders, feeling, finally, at peace. "I-I have a cold," I shivered.

James groaned. "Why'd you come today, then? Come on, I'll find Albus and kill him. He was with you, wasn't he?"

I incoherently said yes and James broke into a run. When we got to the carriages, we found Albus.

"Albus! What the hell? Rose is bloody sick! Where—where were you??" James said. He stepped into a carriage, getting me in with him.

"What?" his eyes widened, and he looked genuinely scared. "I checked back at the Shrieking Shack, but nobody was there, so I thought you went back to the castle already!" Albus turned to me, looking sorry and very, very worried.

I swayed a bit and moved my head to try to adjust myself. "I fell down the hill, Al," I sniffed. I leaned on James, trying to get balanced. "I'm sorry, it wasn't your fault,"

James' face was contorted in a look of horror and anger. I hastily added, "But I'm alright now," James looked completely disbelieving. He yelled at Albus some more.

"Al, you were supposed to be with her! I can't believe you!" he used some hand motions, waving his arms around. "Oh, what mum and Aunt Hermione would have done to me if you hadn't been safe…" he trailed off, looking horrified, running his hands through his hair, then down his face. I rolled my eyes. Of _course _it was about the things that Aunt Ginny unquestionably do to him. But Albus, on the other hand, looked incredibly upset. I shakily patted his back. "Er, it's—it's fine, Al,"

"No, James is right! What if something had happened to you? It would have been all my fault!" he stared at the ground, and I could see his brain visualizing the scene he had just described. My gruesome, bloody death, perhaps? My body mangled in some snow, with my limbs sticking out in all the wrong ways? I giggled (which is slightly disturbing, I know) at the grotesque images forming in my mind. Surely not _those_ kinds of thoughts.

Then, I suddenly remembered why I was so angry in the first place. "Oh, but Malfoy saw me there,"

"What, like, after you fell?" James' hands were still in his hair, messing it up horribly. More horribly than usual, I mean.

"Yeah,"

"Did he help you?" Albus cut in.

My face was disgusted, but I kept it looking amusing enough so I wouldn't look too repulsed to Albus and James. "No, of course not," I rolled my eyes. "Why would he help someone like _me_?" I spat, this time, my anger showing through completely. "He's a good-for-nothing coward," I stomped up towards a carriage, feeling myself get extremely hot and uncomfortable due to my cold and thick clothes.

"What? He didn't help you?" Albus said, baffled.

"That's disgusting!" James angrily said.

I, on the other hand, had already accepted it. My false hopes of Scorpius Malfoy being nice and honest deep down inside were completely gone. He was just as cold and heartless as I had thought when I was in first year, if not worse.

I caught a glimpse of him in the white scenery. He had a smirk on his face, and Elise was talking animatedly to him. I didn't know if he was listening to her or not, but I could make out his eyes following my carriage, and I knew he could see me. I turned away from the window, and instead watched my fuming cousins talk animatedly about Malfoy. I definitely, absolutely, did not look back.

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So? Tell me how it was, I don't know if I was quite up to par this time around, so I'd love to hear some of your feedback.

Also, this story has been getting favorited and subscribed to, and it's bothersome sometimes because (many, not all of) these people don't review! So, please do that.

And apparently I'm on two C2 forums? So I'd love to know who did that, so I can thank them properly.

I'll be getting started on that new chapter...four more to go! Please review :)

-E


	4. Fourth Year

Finally! This was my longest time not updating yet--sorry!--but it's finally up. Enjoy! This one is...interesting, I suppose?

Disclaimer: Owned by JKRowling.

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"YES!! GRYFFINDORS! GRYFFINDORS!" James pumped his fist up into the air as he was hoisted up into the air by a mob of red and gold clad students. His beater's bat was being swung dangerously by him along with a colorful banner with a lion on it that changed color and roared every few seconds (I bewitched it myself, actually).

"Ro! Ro, we won the game! We have a shot at the cup!" Albus cried to me, running down the stairs in our common room. He was grinning ear to ear. I smiled back and congratulated him, "Al, we couldn't have done it without you. Your seeker skills are _amazing_!"

"Thanks, Ro," he brought a flask up to his lips—it was filled to the brim with butterbeer. Albus seemed to have pulled it out of nowhere.

"Al, how'd we get butterbeer in here?" I pointed to his cup. He waved his hand and sipped from his beverage again. "James told Hugo and a couple other Gryffindors how to get to Hogsmeade earlier today—he seemed to know we'd win, see," he lifted his butterbeer, "Cheers," he glanced behind him, "I'm going to go see if I can catch the eye of that blonde over there--Dorothea Creevey, right Ro? Well, I'll see you later," he winked and practically _sauntered_ over to Dorothea.

I rolled my eyes. Ever since Albus had gotten a couple of hormones in him, he had become slightly more like James. But I suppose it was alright, because he wasn't nearly as terrible as that yet.

I grabbed a bit of pumpkin juice and sat in one of my favorite armchairs near the fire. I ignored the noise around me (this skill is very handy when you're a Weasley and you need to get homework done during the holidays—trust me.) and started on my Ancient Runes homework.

In about thirty minutes, though, Hugo came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.

"What is it, Hugo?" I yawned. Although it was only the afternoon, I felt tired already. He looked nervous.

"Ro will you do me a favor—please?" he clasped his hands together and fell to his knees. He literally fell to his knees. I hoisted him up and whacked him on his carrot-top head. "Merlin, Hugo, don't be so weird!" He sheepishly grinned and replied, "can you go to the kitchens and get more food?"

I sighed and looked around the common room. I wasn't very partial to the noise and I supposed it might be nice to get a small break from this place. "Alright. I'll get the usual things," I got up and headed to the portrait hole.

"Really!? You will, Ro? Wow, that was really easy!" Hugo grinned and turned around, doing a thumbs-up sign to James. James waved at me in thanks. I laughed, of course James put Hugo up to this.

I climbed out of the portrait hole and headed towards the kitchens. The house-elves were incredibly generous at Hogwarts. I made a mental note to check back in my mother's copy of "Hogwarts, A History" for the school's history on their house-elves once I got home for the summer.

I came up to the large canvas painting that was the entrance of the kitchens and did the usual—tickled the pear in the illustration and pulled the door open. Once I stepped inside, a house-elf with a slightly dirty tea-cozy came up to me and bowed.

"At your service, miss!" she squeaked. I closed the door behind me and surveyed the large kitchen. It was bustling with movement and tiny little house-elves everywhere, setting up food and cooking busily. I do admit—my mouth watered a bit at the aromas that were being produced around me—but none of the smells were as aromatic and tempting as Grandmum Weasley's cooking. But it was almost as good.

I walked further in along the stone floor until I saw a figure of normal height against the wall on my left. I stopped and my stomach sunk to about my kneecaps. It was none other than the blonde, arrogant fool—Scorpius Malfoy.

I tried to hurry along, but even I knew that going unnoticed in a kitchen full of short house-elves and two humans was absolutely impossible. So I readied myself for the confrontation I was sure I'd get.

"Weasley?" Scorpius said, walking towards me slowly. This was the first time I had even talked to him for a very, very long time. I glared at him and pulled my robes tighter around me. "What do you want, Malfoy? Are you here to dazzle me with your incredible chivalry?" I spat, referring to the incident that occurred a year ago at Hogsmeade. I, as a Gryffindor, could not let him be forgiven for such cowardice. I stared at him with nothing but contempt in my eyes.

He immediately went quiet, and stood there with a blank expression I had seen so many times before. He sucked in a breath and ran his hand through his hair in a way that was so alarmingly James-like I almost forgot to glare.

"No, just getting some more food for the Slytherin-party,"

"But—But you lost," I say, bluntly, forgetting about my anger. What was he getting at?

"We Slytherins celebrate anyways," he shrugged, and for a second it felt like we were airily having a chat about the weather or the last Quidditch World Cup. My brow furrowed. I couldn't have this happening, I was supposed to be _angry_ for Merlin's sake, I was supposed to be angry as hell.

"Well Malfoy, I really can't be wasting my time talking to the likes of you," I said as I frowned. His mouth twitched but he didn't say anything. I smiled nastily, and walked past him.

"Wait, Weasley, I want a word," he said in a clear voice.

I rolled my eyes and turned towards him. "And what," I say in a dangerously low voice, "makes you think you'll get one?" I step back and walk with more purpose, this time hoping to get as far away as possible from Scorpius.

"Merlin, Weasley! Can't you just sit and listen for two seconds!? Just give me a minute to explain!" he called after me. Bloody hell, does this kid ever give up? I walked faster. "Fine! Just stride on off, it's not li—"

"Shut up!" I had, incredibly enough, covered the space between the two of us in less than a second, and my wand was suddenly digging into his neck, and I was so close to his face I could practically count his eyelashes. I could feel the house-elves grow silent, and I could definitely see them all backing away as fast as they could into the walls opposite from us.

"Don't beg me for my time when you can't even offer some of yours!" I shouted. My yells echoed off of the stone walls and ceiling. "You aren't _human,_ Malfoy! You're _sick_! I absolutely_ hate_ people like you!" my wand dug deeper into his neck, and I could tell it was burning his skin, "If someone wants my time, then they have to earn it," I end in a hoarse yell, shaking from the rage I've pent up for nearly a year.

"I just wanted to say—I just wanted to tell you that—that I shouldn't've—I shouldn't've—done that. I shouldn't have done that—I know—I know I shouldn't have ever done it," he said, finishing lamely. He said it a bit nervously too, I suppose he was just struck by my anger. His face was pulled into a grimace. I pulled my wand back.

I suddenly hear Albus and Uncle Harry's voices in my head, from when we were little. I froze, my wand still up, as I listened to what they were saying.

"_What does my name mean, daddy_?" a squeaky voice said, and I immediately remembered this conversation from when we were both about five. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were visiting for Christmas.

"_Well, Albus is after Dumbledore's first name. You've heard of Dumbledore plenty of times_,"

"_I mean my other one_,"

"_Oh, er,_ _Severus?_" Uncle Harry's voice is surprised.

"_Uncle Ron told me about him. He was mean. Why did you name me after someone mean, daddy? Am I mean?_"

"_Merlin, I'm going to kill Ron_…" he mumbled, laughing a little. "_No, you're not mean at all! This man—Severus—he was a little…unfair to me, but he was a very brave man, Al_,"

"_He wasn't fair?! How can you like him then, daddy? Uncle Ron told me he was a mean teacher!_"

"_Sometimes,_" he paused, searching for the right words. "_Sometimes, Al, you've got to forgive someone for their mistakes. You've always got to try to do that,_"

I suddenly jerked up, steadied my wand and shook my head. No. I blocked Uncle Harry's voice out of my mind.

"Weasley—I just—I'm sorry!" he said again, this time with more determination.

I paused, and we stood there for a split second before I spoke again.

"Then_ prove it_," I hissed, and yanked my wand arm down. I swivelled around and walked swiftly towards the exit, as my robes fluttered behind me.

I realized a little too late that I was just as empty-handed as when I started. The only thing I carried that was different from when I entered the kitchens and from when I left, though, was the sudden overpowering feeling of unhappiness that hung above me like a hungry dementor.

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okay this one was an alright chapter. yeah. I thought the outburst from Rose added to it.

Well, reviews are nice :) Only three more chapters! I'll update as soon as I can.

-E


	5. Fifth Year

7/24-Hey everyone! This is the quickest update ever, I know. It only took me two days but for some reason this is my longest chapter yet (3000 words!!). And I just wanted to update today because it's my birthday! So I wanted birthday reviews. I know, I'm greedy :P. I mean. You know. Along with actual reviews. Not all birthday. ...lol. Okay, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Belongs to JKRowling.

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I prodded at the red and gold badge that laid on my chest. It was quite shiny. I almost laughed at myself for making this kind of observation now. I had had it for a while now, hadn't I?

Incredibly, I hadn't looked at it at all when I had received it in the summer—I had been a bit made fun of by James, Ted, and Uncle George (James actually snatched the thing out of my hands and paraded around the house with it, while yelling "Rose is a prefect! She's a _bloody _prefect!" until Aunt Ginny did something to make him shut up. I don't know what she did, exactly, but about ten minutes after he stole it from me she handed it back and congratulated me very quietly and told me not to mention anything to Uncle Harry when James was missing for dinner that night. I was a bit disturbed and just nodded for a while until she winked at me and left.), and I just left it in its envelope in my sock drawer for the rest of the holiday after my mum and grandmum threw a couple fits of joy. They even threw a party for the both of us—Al got a letter as well, see—and we were both congratulated ridiculously by an absurdly large amount of people.

I guess that's what you get when all of your famous uncle's friends and family_ and _colleagues come to a big bash for something as petty as two runty fifth years who got a couple of stupid badges. You'd think that they'd have something better to do over the summer, right? Like, the Minister of Magic even came to it, I know, because I was the one who gave him his slice of cake at the party—well, I guess it was alright that _he_ came, he attended my first birthday party too, my parents even told me I had nearly grabbed his gold earring out of his ear when he picked me up—but that's besides the point.

The fact still remained—I was a prefect and so was Al and so was the one person I would have given anything for to not to be a prefect was one—Scorpius. Oh, and along with his bitchy fellow-Slytherin. Elise.

I was on Lily's bed, moping. I knew it was ridiculous. But I did it anyways.

"Oh, Ro. Don't be like this," she said. She pulled her straight hair up into a ponytail and waved her hairbrush as she spoke. "Weren't _you_ the one who told _me_ that you didn't like sitting in here? You said it was weird having the little third years walking around and staring at you! That's why I always come up into _your_ dorm," Lily frowned at me. It was true, I never came up to her dorm. But I had a good reason, how strange was it if you came up to your cousin's room, especially if said cousin is two years younger than you? Very weird. But today I was doing it.

"I thought this year was going to be fun," I mumbled as I crouched into the fetal position.

"It is! Think of all the privileges you'll get, Ro! Ugh, Merlin. I am _so_ jealous. I wish_ I_ was a prefect. A fifth year," she added. She looked upwards wistfully. This was _so_ not about Lily and her self-imposed image of her supposedly undeveloped body (Lily is really very, very attractive. She's got her mum's looks. Seriously, Aunt Ginny still gets hit on by clueless teenage boys. Until Uncle Harry appears and they run for it. Everyone knows who he is.). I glared. I had to! This was supposed to be my year. I already had it planned out, anyways—I was going to get all my OWLs and get all of the qualifications for any job out there. I was also a prefect. I thought that was going to be an addition to my perfect year—not a subtraction from it!

"Also—have you _seen_ the Malfoy's son? You really are lucky. His father looks kind of old, you know, with his hair all high on his forehead, but_ he's_ delicious,"

"Lily! That's the entire reason I'm moping! I've mentioned him like, a _thousand_ times by now!" I yelled, shocked. She just looked at me, amused. "Well, now that you mention it, I do remember something about that, but it's all very vague. I guess I just _forgot_," Lily said this part very sarcastically, "After I saw him for the first time in a while last week at King's Cross, it seemed to have slipped my mind," she said dryly.

"You are _impossible_,"

Lily just surveyed me pitifully and mumbled, "I thought fifth-years were supposed to be _cool_,"

"I_ am_ cool! I'm just in a bad situation right now!" I snapped.

"You're going to be in this situation for three more years! Just ignore him or something and get over it!" then she said something incoherently, and I caught words like "give", "Malfoy", "hot", and "me". I sprung up from the bed. "I think I'm going to leave now," if I didn't leave, I would hear Lily confessing her love to Scorpius.

"Maybe you should take a bath! Don't prefects get that sort of thing to themselves?" she called after me as I exited the room.

You know, maybe that wasn't such a bad idea. I headed down to the prefect's bathroom. Nobody would come in and interrupt me, since it was almost lunch time. Anyways, I had the afternoon off today. It wouldn't hurt.

I entered the bathroom on the fifth floor after giving the password (_"Grindylow"_) and stared in awe of the impressive marble-white room. The chandelier that lit the room hung elegantly from the ceiling, and gave the whole room a soft, warm glow. I closed the door and walked around the enormous bathtub, turning on all the taps. I marveled at the large array of colors and bubbles they produced.

As I waited for the bath to fill, I hummed quietly to myself, as I looked through a book I had brought along (_Numerology and Gramatica_) while listening to the mermaid in the painting (They _so_ do not look like that. I can't believe Hogwarts allowed such a deceiving painting to be put up! Has _nobody_ read _Hogwarts: A History_?!) splash around.

The bath had filled quickly, so I took off my robes and put them away near the door. I sunk into the water and felt my whole body go warm. I sighed. This was definitely a way to forget about everything that had happened in the last week.

I sat there for a while, occasionally swimming to the other end of the large tub, blowing the colorful, full bubbles up as I swam. I even played with the taps a bit before settling down onto one of the steps in the bath and reading my book.

It had probably been about an hour since I came in when I heard someone mumble, "Grindylow," to the door. My eyes widened, and I looked around to make sure that the bubbles were still in the bath. I pushed them closer to me.

My mind raced as the door handle moved downwards. I prayed it would be a girl—or Albus. Albus wouldn't care much, would he? Granted, the last time I had seen him naked was when we were about seven and we still took baths together—

The door opened. I couldn't even move at that point. Someone stepped in and closed the door shut. They dropped a fuzzy bathrobe on the floor. It was, unbelievably, Elise.

"Oh," she stopped when she saw that someone was already in the bath. I hurriedly scooped more bubbles closer to me. "_Oh_," she said with more contempt, when she saw that it was me. I blushed crimson, and stuttered, "W-what is it?" in a squeaky voice.

"Merlin, Weasley. I can't even get a bath around here?" she rolled her eyes and fingered her black hair. She sniffed. "Fine. I suppose I can't really dip in with_ you_, can I? I guess I'll come back some other time," she looked around, and suddenly smirked. She picked up her robe. And then she left.

I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. At least she had gone, right? Oh, I should probably be getting out soon anyways. What if another new prefect came in and wanted to use the exclusive bath? I was lucky that Elise was of the female gender.

I stepped out of the warm bath and padded towards the white, fluffy towels that were folded neatly in the room. I lifted one up and grinned. The towels were even warm! It felt like they were in the sun for ages. I happily dried off and pushed my wet hair out of my face. That bath was utterly relaxing. Becoming a prefect just for this sounded very reasonable.

I looked around kind of blankly and slipped into a kind of stupor. Now what was I supposed to do? Oh, yes. Get out. I walked towards where my clothes were, and then my eyes focused again.

Wait, what? _What? _

Where were my clothes? Where the bloody hell were my clothes? Oh. Never mind. They were right there, sitting there folded neatly next to the door, like they were supposed to be. I pulled them on and walked out.

_I WISH. _

I frantically spun around, wondering if maybe my clothes were mysteriously in some other part of the room. They weren't. I ran all the way around the bath four times in my towel, until I stopped abruptly.

Okay. I wasn't just any fool—I was Rose Weasley. Rose Granger-Weasley! What would my mother do? My dad wasn't much help, I could imagine him running down the Hogwarts halls butt-naked screaming incredibly easily.

What could have possibly happened to my robes? If it wasn't me then it was—

Oh, no.

No. No! That's—that's not fair. What have I done to deserve this?

Elise stole my clothes. It was the only explanation I could find that would make sense. Once I got my hands on her—I was—wait. What would I do? I'd be stuck in here forever with a towel! Maybe I could sneak out once the castle was asleep? I could read, maybe.

Wait, wait! I was supposed to be a witch! What would—oh, crap. I didn't _have_ my wand. It was with my robes!

What if someone came in? Should I get back into the bath? I wouldn't look naked if I was in there. Yes. Being found with a towel on was very, very bad.

I nearly jumped back into the bath. Then I realized that it would just be better to have a towel on. Oh, stupid, stupid Rose! I was about to get out when the door opened again. I sunk back down.

Scorpius came through the door. The exact person I wanted to get away from.

Just that I was naked. And he was not.

He shut the door, turned around, and saw me sitting there, with my freckly arms crossed and my knees up to my chest under the bubbly water.

Our mouths, I think, just hung open for a while until he stepped backwards into the door. Even though the bubbles didn't let anything show, he made no attempt to avert his eyes.

"Er…Malfoy, will you please, er, stop? Stop staring at me like that?" I said stiffly, blushing harder than I had before. He turned his gaze away, and his eyes landed on the mermaid painting. The mermaid was now giggling and blowing kisses at Scorpius. I really, really did not like that mermaid.

"I'll leave," he said, swiftly going for the door handle. I could not believe what I was doing.

"No, wait!"

He turned around, and looked at me like I was mad. I _was_ mad. But this was the only chance I had.

"Zabini, she, erm, well, she came in here—she came in here, and…and she took—she took my clothes," I finished, my voice becoming hollow at the end. I felt so pathetic.

"And, you can't…go anywhere without them," he said, following what I was getting at. The corners of his lips twitched upwards. I stared at him. How could he be laughing? Smiling? How could he even be _happy_? I was _stranded_ here!

"Can you...maybe…help…help me?" I winced at the sound of my own voice. Five years ago on this day, I would have never ever thought I'd have said those words to Scorpius Malfoy.

"Alright, Weasley," he shrugged. I gaped at him. That was…so…easy.

"Maybe you could go and get my clothes? My wand is with them too, so I kind of need them back," then I started to analyze the situation. "Oh, wait—she'd have put them up in her dormitory, right? I don't know if boys can go up into girl's dorms…I know girls can, but—"

"They can't. Trust me, they can't." he said solemnly. I looked at him. His words seemed to come from someone with hands-on experience. _Honestly_. Doesn't he have any dignity?

I thought of an idea. "Well, maybe you could get someone to do it for you—a girl?" he nodded lazily, and said "That won't take long," he opened the door and went out. The door suddenly opened again. "Hey, how long have you been here, Weasley?" he drawled.

"Er. Right before lunch started? Why?"

"Okay. I'll get your clothes," he shut the door, and I heard his footsteps run off.

Yeah. I know. He so wasn't coming back. Maybe I should just walk out with a towel or two on? I groaned.

I got out of the bath and wrapped myself up in a towel. I sat on the floor until the door opened again.

Scorpius came through the door all out of breath, holding a bundle of clothes, a pair of shoes, and a plate of something.

I practically ran up to him and snatched my clothes out of his hands. He looked at me amusedly and said, "You know, it's not like I've never seen what a girl wears before,"

"I—I'm just cold," I said, red-faced. "Turn around." I added. He faced the wall while I shoved my clothes on. I heard him shift. "Don't look!" I said, glaring at the back of his head. "I'm not!" he said back. I stuck my tongue out at him.

I shakily buttoned my shirt (I kept putting the wrong buttons through the wrong holes. It took me three tries to get it right.). "Wait, my tie—where's my tie? My Gryffindor tie?"

"There was no tie when Melanie Nott gave it to me," he said, confused.

"I hope Zabini didn't steal it," I said worriedly. Why would she steal it, though? "Do you think she did?" I decided to ask, since Scorpius must know her better than I did.

"Probably," he said bluntly. I was silent.

"I see," I said. My tie was as good as gone.

"Trust someone like you would get in this mess, Weasley." he said while I hopped on one foot, getting my socks on. "Oh, sod off, will you? It's not my fault!" I scowled at his back (He does have a nice back. BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT HERE.).

"Zabini is a piece of work," I mumbled as I finally pulled my shoes on.

"Yeah. I like them like that," he turned around and faced me.

"Like what?" I retrieved my wand from the floor and did a drying spell on my hair.

"Bad," he looked at me suggestively. I seriously think I felt myself throw up a little in my mouth.

"Why are you helping me, anyways?" I said very fast, my mind still reeling from what he just said.

"I don't know, Weasley. Maybe to prove that I'm not as lousy as you think I am?" he said sarcastically.

"No really, Malfoy. This is ridiculous, you never do acts of—acts of _kindness_."

"I already told you. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, I'm not _pure_ evil?" he raised his blond eyebrows.

"Well, not_ pure_ evil. You're not Voldemort." I grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I should get going." I headed towards the door.

"Oh, wait. I brought you this," he lifted the plate of food he had brought in. I had completely forgotten about it.

"I'm not hungry, thanks,"

"Liar, Weasley. Your stomach has been growling the whole time I was here. Or perhaps you were just hungry for something else?" his eyes glinted mischievously. I felt my ears go hot. "No, of course not!" I said very fast, snatching the plate from his hands. It was a ham sandwich. Scorpius lowered himself onto the floor and waited while I ate (_inhaled_ is more accurate, actually). I eventually sat down too.

Once I had finished, he took the plate and got up to leave. I got up as well.

"So…I guess I should be thanking you," I said sullenly. I couldn't believe I had to do this.

"No, you don't. We're even now, aren't we?"

"I don't know about that, Malfoy, I me—"

"Weasley, hopefully this is enough evidence for you. Alright?" he raised the plate in farewell and went out the door. I stood quite shocked for a while before it opened again. He bent his head inside and very quickly said "And you don't look half bad naked." He ran out into the hall.

My eyes widened and I immediately ran after him. "You said you didn't look! _You said you didn't look!_" I yelled at him.

I could hear his laughter echo all the way down the hall long after he had ran down a staircase.

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I dunno if this chapter was as enjoyable as my last one (chapter 4 seemed to hit it off very well) but you can totally tell me in a review. ;D

When I thought of what I'd do for fifth year, I had already planned the setting out, but I didn't know what would happen in the chapter yet. So then, it came to me. I wanted Scorpius shirtless as soon as possible. So at first I was thinking maybe he would be in the bath? But that didn't work out. I'm sorry! Maybe he'll be shirtless in another story/chapter I write. Probably not in this one, though :)

-E (the birthday girl!)


	6. Sixth Year

D: Agh! I know! The sixth chapter is finally here! I'm sorry for being late very late...but this one's something like 3700 words. So hopefully the length makes up for it a little. Ergh. Well, I'm glad I'm finally getting it out here. In other news, school has started. It's been very lame (in my opinion) and I dislike it a little more than I expected I would. I'm sure the awesomely spectacular **HPquenette **(add periods after HP and que, for some reason fanfiction isn't letting me put them in D:) (she's actually got an excellent Rose Scorpius story as well. Check her out :) ) knows exactly what I'm going through! XD I actually did do a Harry/Ginny oneshot in the last month, though, just to get writing. I had writer's block and I decided to at _least _do something else for a bit, or something. I feel very guilty--the oneshot took two days to write! Oh, well.

Disclaimer: Belongs to JKR.

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I was in History of Magic with Professor Binns. The soft lull of his voice usually put everyone _else_ to sleep—but not me.

On that particular day, though, I was seated right behind Elise. She was very distracting.

I tapped my quill on my parchment in irritation. It was a little—no, okay, I'm lying—it was_ very_ annoying to see her shake her hair out every few seconds to have the soft, vanilla scent of her hair waft over to where I was sitting.

On anybody else, the smell would have been pleasing. But on Elise, it was downright nauseating. I will forever associate vanilla with terrible memories of her.

I felt something damp seeping into the paper and under my fingers. I looked down, and saw that my quill had leaked ink all over my parchment. I groaned and crumpled the parchment up, trying to wipe as much of the ink off in the process.

I rubbed my eyes. Professor Binns was trailing off about the wars of the 1230's, but for once, I couldn't care less. I turned around and surveyed the classroom.

Al was playing hangman on a spare piece of parchment with a long-haired brunette. I actually saw a couple students sleeping. Scorpius was diagonal from me, sitting next to Elise.

The new couple.

He leaned towards her and whispered something in her ear. Elise giggled, whispering something back while laying her hand furtively on the back of his neck. I scowled at her shameless flirting.

Scorpius leaned in again and whispered something else in her ear. His lips brushed her cheek as he put his fingers lightly on her waist.

I sighed and leaned into my propped-up hand. He didn't have to be such a womanizing bastard about his new girlfriend.

But I really shouldn't have been thinking like that.

See, Scorpius and I are completely neutral to each other now. The most we ever say to each other is a "hello", "good afternoon", or "'scuse me" depending on the time of day and whether I have accidentally bumped into him or not.

I suddenly jolted up from the movement happening around me. Class had ended, and I hadn't even noticed. I stuffed my books haphazardly into my bag and sprung up from my seat, eager to get away from the classroom and the two love-struck Slytherins.

As I hurried to make my exit, I almost bumped into Elise as she made her way out of the rows of desks. I winced as she looked me straight in the eyes. I looked away and muttered a "Pardon me," while unsuccessfully sidestepping her.

"Wow, Weasley. Is this a new fashion statement or something?" she laughed. I think, at this moment at least, I hated Elise more than I had ever hated Scorpius (When I was younger, at least. I mean, really. I remember fourth year quite clearly.). I looked over at Scorpius, who seemed to also be waiting for Elise to move out of the way. As my gaze flitted over to him, he pointed to his eyes, indicating that I should take a look at my own. I nodded curtly and shoved my way out of the classroom. I walked directly towards a bathroom.

Once inside, I dropped my heavy bag to the floor and skidded to a stop on the hard tiled floor. I looked into the mirror and stared at my reflection in a kind of dumbstruck horror.

There was ink smudged all over my face and it really looked _dreadful_.

Oh, _shit_. The spilled ink must have gotten onto my hands. And then, I, the smart, intelligent Rose, did finger-paints on my own _face_ during class.

I silently cast a cleaning charm and splashed my face with cold water for good measure. I stared at my tired, disgruntled face.

_Why hello there, Rose Weasley. You look marvelously spiffing today! _I thought sullenly.

I frowned. Was today really such a bad day that I was making very poorly done sarcastic jokes to my_ own_ reflection?

Perhaps, yes. I really needed something to cheer me up.

So I made a mental checklist of what I had done and would do that day.

Well, I missed breakfast today because I was up all night working on my Astrology chart, then I had to get something to eat really fast after Ancient Runes so my stomach would stop making very embarrassing, loud, obnoxious noises. Only after that, I had to run to Herbology at break-neck speed, and was late for the first time, well, ever.

After this I would have a double-period of Divination (My absolute _worst _subject, mum told me not to take it but I couldn't do that. I mean, Divination really puts a lot of things into perspective. Erm. Doesn't it?), then I have to lock myself up in the library until dinner because I have absolute _loads_ of homework that can't be put off any longer or I'd have no time to do _anything_ this week.

And then I have to report straight to the fifth floor and do prefect duty rounds with—

Bugger.

After dinner I hurried up the many staircases and straightened my prefect badge as I ran after Albus, who was at least ten feet in front of me.

"Al! Don't go so fast!" I power-walked as I tried to shine my somewhat lackluster badge with my sleeve.

Albus slowed down and waited for me to catch up to him. "Big night, huh Ro?" his green eyes glinted the way Uncle Harry's did when he was telling a story or with Aunt Ginny. I stared at him dubiously.

"Since when has this been a 'big night'?" I laughed. We were on the last staircase now, moving closer and closer to the fifth floor's hall.

Albus walked up from the last step. "Since we were paired up with them." His eyes shifted over to Scorpius and Elise, who were both waiting for us. I stiffened. I knew they'd be here with us, but…suddenly knowing I'd be in such close proximity with both of them for quite a while made me feel horribly uncomfortable.

"About time," Elise said to us.

"We aren't late," Albus said back. The air was tense with our silence as Albus' statement lingered in the air.

"Whatever. You should have been earlier, anyways." She rolled her eyes and tugged on Scorpius' shirt. "Come on, let's go this way," she nudged him to the right and started to walk him to the right side of the hall. Scorpius followed solemnly. I smirked. I didn't think Scorpius would be a pushover in his relationship with Elise.

Well, no, now that I think of it more I kind of should have seen that coming.

So, never mind.

"You two can—" he got cut off by Elise's hand groping his backside. He continued on in a slightly higher pitched voice. "Just—go in the other direction and we can do rounds like that!" Scorpius said while turning his head and pointing in the direction we should head down.

Albus and I lingered for a second, until we heard an echo-y voice say, "I know I'm chiseled and handsome, Elise, but you don't have t—"

"Okay then!" Albus clapped his hands, speaking loudly over the trailing voice of Scorpius'. He grabbed my elbow, linking his arm with mine. "Come on, Ro, just pretend we're eight again. It's summer. We're in the garden. Feel it?"

"No, Al. I do not 'feel it'," I muttered back at him darkly. Seeing Elise go all over Scorpius had made me slightly nauseous. Elise, not Scorpius.

It's sometimes hard to admit, but he has become very charismatic. Even more so, than the last year or the year before that, really.

If doing that kind of thing is even allowed.

Albus started to skip down the hallway. I half-heartedly hopped forward along with his joyful strides.

We turned the corner.

I then felt Albus' arm become untangled from my own, but then heard something crack along with a yelp of surprise and pain.

There was a collision.

The girl was kneeling on the floor, and she was definitely younger than us, thirteen or fourteen years old. The badge on her robes told me she was a Hufflepuff. Her ink-colored hair was draped over her face, like a gauzy curtain. I stared at her dumbly while she grasped her right hand in pain. Albus was still on the floor—I suspect he was making sure all of his own limbs and bones were in the right places.

He leapt up and crouched down next to he girl. "Oh, Merlin. I am so sorry. Are you alright? Sorry, what a stupid question. I'm so sorry. It was all my fault, I was skipping and I shouldn't have been skipping at all! Oh, I'm so stupid. What happened to your hand?"

"I think I landed on it," she said, her voice coated with pain. She grimaced as Albus took her hand to see what had happened to it. "Probably a broken bone…it's okay! I'll get you to the hospital wing immediately!" he helped her up and she stood there awkwardly next to his somewhat tall frame.

"Al," I said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you forgetting something, Al?" I asked timidly.

"Erm. Am I?"

I coughed nervously. "It's past curfew for the younger students." I said this quietly, because I felt bad for the dark-haired girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although, she really shouldn't have been out at this hour. What kind of business does a girl her age need to take care of anyways? At night? Taking place on the fifth floor?

Sounds dodgy.

Wait—my mind suddenly remembered the strange room that my parents had described when I was nine.

I looked at the girl again.

No, this one wasn't that well-connected. There was no way she would even know about that. It must be something else.

"Oh."

"Erm…"

"Should we tell on her?"

"I—I think it would be our duty to do so." I fumbled. "How is she going to be able to get to the hospital wing at this kind of time without any teacher _not_ knowing she was out?"

The girl looked agonizingly at the both of us, still pale from being in the presence of two upperclassmen with an injured hand.

"You shouldn't have been out here, you know that, right?" I said kindly, slightly taken aback from how frail and scared she looked.

"Yes—but I had a good reason, I swear!" she yelped.

"Erm. Continue, then?" Albus said.

The girl pulled her robes tighter around her and sniffed. "I can't tell you! My friends would even laugh at me if they knew!" I suddenly noticed that cheeks were streaked with dried tears. I swallowed. I felt bad for this girl, even if she had broken a school rule.

"Al, we've got to take her to the hospital wing," I turned to him.

"No! Please just let me go! I'll do whatever you want, just don't tell on me!" the girl shook her head and looked at us pleadingly.

"But—but it's not good for you to do this with your hand—"

"I'll be fine! I'll do anything, please, just don't tell!" she burst into tears. I was shaken by the sudden change in her demeanor from when we had first bumped into her.

"You know, why don't we talk about this while walking down the hall, alright? I'm sure nobody will ask too many questions in the hospital wing." He helped her up and she followed.

But if anyone else was watching, you could totally tell that she did it because Albus is kind of attractive to girls now.

He turned to me and whispered "I'll be back as soon as I can." He then went into the opposite direction and started to animatedly talk to the Hufflepuff while she nursed her hand.

I watched them turn a corner and decided to go in the opposite direction, towards Elise and Scorpius. I could use a bit of company, even if it wasn't from anyone I particularly liked.

Once I had gotten to the other end of the hallway, though, I still hadn't seen any sign of them. I frowned. They couldn't have decided to just go off somewhere and ditch Albus and me in the middle of our shift, right?

I hurried down the hall again, this time peering into any open doors as I passed them.

Then I heard something.

I took a few quiet steps backward and looked into the empty classroom again. I pressed my face as hard as I could against the door frame so I could catch a glimpse of what was going on.

In the back corner of the room, I could see someone's pale, bare back with two slender hands wrapped around it. The body behind the pale back was pressed up against the wall, with her dark hair messy and only her tie undone.

In short, from what I could see, their mouths were glued together and their hands were going everywhere.

Everywhere.

I stumbled to the side and felt my heartbeat fling itself upwards into my throat.

As I processed what was going on in my mind, I suddenly blanched at the sight of Elise unbuttoning her shirt and Scorpius' pants looking very loose around his waist.

I realized that I couldn't really stand here anymore.

I didn't really know what I was doing, but I swung the door open completely and ran up to them. I was vaguely aware of the sound that my shoes made against the hard floor as I went past all of the desks and chairs.

By the time I had gotten within ten feet of them, they had both realized that I was there.

But only just then.

Scorpius turned his head ever so slightly to the left and lazily looked at me. His hand was still on Elise's neck and the other, pressed up against the wall. Elise looked at me too, but she was slumped against the wall behind her with her hands hanging limply at her sides. Her face was more of a scowl, while Scorpius' was just a nonchalant stare. I suspected, though, that she only kept her mouth shut because I had caught her doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

"What are you two doing?" I squeaked, trying very hard not to look at Scorpius' bare upper-body as he turned to pick up his shirt. I looked down at the tops of my shoes and fiddled with a stray thread coming off of my top.

"What does it look like we're doing?" he drawled while using his wand to button his shirt and do his tie.

"_Were_ doing, you mean," Elise hissed, mostly at me. She reached up and smoothed her hair down and straightened out her robes.

An awkward silence passed while Elise and Scorpius tried to make themselves look acceptable.

"Why did you do that?" I said in an even more higher pitched voice. Scorpius answered and said sarcastically "Well, Weasley, when a man and a woman love ea—"

"You love her?" I blurted out without realizing. I froze as it dawned on me what I had just said. Elise's head swiveled around to face Malfoy head-on. There was a silence as Elise and I waited for his answer.

The silence stretched on for quite a while, until it came to the point where any reply would have been much too late, and therefore, void.

Elise looked coldly at Scorpius and picked up her shoe and put it on. She turned on her heel and went out the door.

Scorpius started to hastily follow her but I put a hand on his shoulder. He turned in slight surprise and we stood there until we heard Elise's footsteps fade away.

"You didn't answer the question." I said, startling myself again as I said it.

Scorpius sighed. He moved his hair out of his face with his fingers and muttered, "I can't—I can't do this right now, Weasley." He started out the door again.

"Will you have an answer for her if you go now?" I yelled after him.

He hesitated and turned away from the door to face me. "I'll have" he paused, "an answer,"

"But not _the_ answer?" I pushed.

He wavered again. "No." he said finally. He leaned against the doorframe and finger-combed through his hair. He slumped slightly downwards in defeat.

I looked at him carefully. "For how long?" I murmured.

"Only right after. I wouldn't—I couldn't—do that to Elise. Not her, of all people."

"Why not? She's just another girl, right Malfoy? Even if you had lost interest in her only right after you started going out, you could just tell her so." I said appraisingly. Merlin knows how many girls he's dated in the last two years.

I think he considered leaving right then, but he opened his mouth anyways and said "For a really long time, I thought Elise was the only girl who could match my perfection," he said, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

I winced at his conceited tone. Even when he wasn't trying to be, he still came off as ridiculously egotistic. But I brushed it off and pressed the conversation forward.

"That's certainly interesting." I commented lamely.

"She wasn't really fazed by me, and that was really very surprising." His eyebrows went upwards as he said this. I nodded and said, "So you've been infatuated with the way she hasn't liked you?"

"Well, that's not really how I took it when I was younger."

"How did you take it?"

"I just thought 'Oh, what an odd girl. She's totally collected around me and she even chooses to be near me often.'" Scorpius looked up. "I didn't understand it…" he trailed off.

"You were a strange child, Malfoy," I remarked. "So, _later_ on you became obsessed with the way she didn't like you?"

"I suppose. I was always trying to impress her. I know she can be…she can be…" he stopped speaking for a moment.

"A bitch?" I quipped helpfully. Maybe a bit too eagerly. But it was still helpful, alright?

He squinted and paused before speaking, but he still replied. "Well, I'm sure that there are other adjectives to describe Elise, but that one can do for now." He said.

Suddenly, it all clicked. "So…that's why you didn't help me in third year? Because _Zabini _was there?" I sputtered. It was a notion I couldn't accept.

"Well, now, that's something I've already apologized and paid my dues for. No need to get, erm, hasty here." He eyed me carefully.

"Relax, Malfoy, I get it. Your absolute stupidity has been made up for. Don't get your knickers in a twist." I rolled my eyes. "So what finally made her agree to date you?"

"I don't know, actually. I never asked her, but she just came up to me and offered. I immediately said yes." He said casually.

"You should tell her, you know. It's not very good for either of you." I crossed my arms and looked at him haughtily.

"I told you—I can't. It's just different, alright, Weasley? She started out as my friend. If I dump her, I won't even have that. Not to mention I'll feel quite guilty." he sighed.

"So you're just lying through this?" I asked.

"Yes. And, who knows? I could get interested again, right? That's—that's what I'm hoping. Then nobody gets hurt." he attempted confidence as he said this.

"I think you know the answer to that, don't you, Malfoy?" I said quietly. "Don't lie to her," I said, "Don't lie to yourself, either." I walked out the door and looked back at him as I passed him. There was an unexplainable sad expression on his face that I, for some reason, couldn't bear to take my eyes off of.

But then I turned around. I walked purposefully with a strange urgency to get very far away from the classroom I was just in.

I felt strange. Scorpius had just told me he actually cared for some girl. Enough to lie to himself for her. Admittedly, he was going about it badly, but talking to him like that made me see that it was definitely not with malicious intent.

I guess what scared me the most was the way he spoke with an urgency of sorts. It was like he wanted to be loved, or something.

I can't really empathize, though. I've been loved my whole life by my family and my friends. My friend's families. My family's friends.

I pondered sadly on this while still strolling briskly forward.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I yelped, jumping about a foot in the air.

"Al!" I exclaimed, seeing my cousin as I turned around. He raised his eyebrows in greeting. "You seem jumpy." He observed.

"Nevermind me, where did that girl go?"

"Ah. Good question. Well, she finally agreed to go to the hospital wing. But then I had to ask why she was out here," he sighed. "She wanted to see Malfoy, apparently. I had absolutely no idea the bloke had fangirls. Incredible." Albus rolled his eyes.

"Fangirls?" I laughed. "What a strange girl, coming out here to catch a glimpse of him."

"Girls are so weird,"

"I promise you, boys are too." I said with what wisdom I could gather in my voice without laughing as a pale blonde-headed boy popped into my mind.

* * *

Alright, well I'll try to get something out soon. The ending! It's going to be good, I think :). After that, I really don't know what I'll do. Well, no. That's a lie. I have some things in mind...but it's all very confidential :) Reviews are awesome. Click the button? x)


	7. Seventh Year

Um. Hi. *hides behind a wall* I'm so sorry I haven't updated in such a long time--but here it is. The last chapter. I'll stop talking now :) (by the way this one's around** 3,500** words!)

Disclaimer: Belongs to JKRowling.

* * *

I woke up with the haze of sleep still resting on my eyelids.

I turned drowsily towards my side table, looking for the time on the clock. Six in the morning. I yawned quietly and got up.

It was the last time I would get up at Hogwarts.

I threw my covers off and stepped out of bed. The sun was sparkling through the curtains, hanging over the window.

I sat down on the edge of my bed and smiled sadly to myself. It was hard to believe that I wouldn't go to Hogwarts anymore after this.

But, it was no time to feel sad. I was the first one in the room up, so I padded softly to the edge of my bed, to look at my suitcase.

There was a Gryffindor tie sitting crookedly on the top of it.

I looked around my bed, checking to make sure I really had packed everything in preparation for today.

The tie was the only thing still out. I grabbed it, puzzled, but decided not to question it. As I picked it up, though, a note fluttered out of its folds, landing near my feet.

I picked it up and read the line that was scrawled on the ripped piece of parchment.

_Meet me in the last train compartment._

I turn it over, expecting something else to be written on it. It's blank, though.

I stuff the note into my pocket and examine the tie more closely. It looks a little different from the rest of my ties. It looks a little more worn.

Who would have written the note? Who would have taken the tie to begin with?

I get dressed and fold up my pajamas, stuffing them into the corner of my suitcase. I lock it one last time.

I turn around and survey my bed, satisfied. I grab the note and stuff it into the pocket of my robes.

I walk out of the dorm and down the staircase leading out towards the common room, relishing the sound of my shoes clicking against the hard stairs.

I keep walking, going towards the staircase leading to the Great Hall. A couple people were already out and about, but otherwise, I was pretty much alone.

The Great Hall had about ten people in it, including me. I decided to just start eating. Leaving Hogwarts was strange, and I didn't want anyone interrupting the little time I did have to myself here.

When I was about halfway done with my toast, I really took a good look around the hall. My eyes lingered a bit on the Slytherin table.

Scorpius wasn't anywhere to be found, but a huffy-looking Elise was already seated at the table, digging into what seemed to be a bowl of mushy oatmeal.

I couldn't really put my finger on it, but ever since she broke up with Scorpius around Christmas-time last year, she's been a little bit off. Not quite as she used to be.

Hmm. That's something I've always wondered about. Why didn't he break up with her, instead? Especially after what I had said to him?

Well, anyways, Elise's personality is still intact.

She caught me looking her way and threw me a scathing look for the umpteenth time in the past two years.

I turned away and pretended I didn't see her.

"Rose," a voice said behind me. I put my toast down.

"Al," I greeted back, scooting over a bit so he could sit down comfortably next to me. "Well. I'm not sure how I feel about this," I admitted, nodding my head towards the hall.

Albus didn't say anything. He gave a slow smile and a long sigh. "It's okay. Today isn't supposed to be a sad day."

"I know. But it's going to be hard. Not being with…all of this, I guess," I've stopped eating.

Albus paused. He left his pumpkin juice untouched and got up again. "I think I'll see you later," he said. "I just have to…make sure I've done some stuff. Packing. Erm. See you on the train."

I nodded, letting him go on his way. I think I got what he was getting at. Albus was someone I could see another time, but right now, I had to be alone.

I got up with a sigh, walking without looking back towards the Great Hall's large doors. I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't just spend it eating breakfast.

Just as I reached out to push the door open, someone else opened it before I could.

Scorpius stopped the door from hitting me, catching it with his right hand. "Sorry," he said quickly. Then he looked up, and straightened a little. "Weasley," he said, his hand still on the door.

"Malfoy," I answered back. He looked a little disheveled, to be frank. A few of the top buttons on his shirt weren't fastened, and his tie was a little lopsided. His sleeves were sitting unevenly midway up his arms, but the way he held himself and the precise way that his shirt was ironed still gave you that I'm-richer-than-you vibe.

I sidestepped him and let myself through the doorway. "Morning," I said dully.

"Morning," he said, quickly going in the opposite direction. The door thudded shut. I was left to stand there, a bit confused.

"Whatever," I mumbled, going on my way. Scorpius wasn't about to be different now, not on the last day of school.

I found myself going outside, still thinking of Scorpius. Scorpius had dated many girls after Elise, but nothing was ever constant. He went through them like my mother goes through spells.

I sat down on a large rock near the lake. It was still quite tolerable outside, since it was only morning.

I didn't move or think about much for a good half an hour or so. After the results for my N.E.W.T.s came in during the summer, I'll be able to really think about what kind of jobs to apply for.

Oh, but it's not like I'm scared, or anything. Professor Sinistra pulled me aside the other day and told me I got an O on the Astronomy exam.

I remembered the note and tie from earlier on, and took out the piece of parchment from my robes. I flattened it out and read it over again and again, examining the handwriting closely.

I still really had no idea who it was from. The handwriting is quite neat, actually. Maybe it's from a girl. A girl in my house?

I groaned. There was no use. I couldn't find out who had done it, especially now. I shoved the note back into the pocket.

I looked at my watch. It was eight. We'd be going soon. I got up with a sigh and treaded on the dewy grass, heading up towards the castle.

People were starting to file out, going out onto the grounds. I didn't pay them any notice, and I ran as fast as I could inside of Hogwarts.

I raced past all of the students, all of them looking relaxed and carefree. No, not me. I wasn't. I definitely wasn't.

I ran up more staircases, up towards a small corridor on the fourth floor. It was nearly deserted.

Nearly.

I turned a corner, and gave a small yelp of surprise. Scorpius was sitting on a window's ledge, looking pensive and calm.

He looked up, almost as surprised as I was. "Weasley," he said, sliding off the ledge. He walked in my direction.

He stopped several feet away, his hands crossed lazily across his chest. "We should get going, you know."

"I know," I said. I didn't have the strength to sound like I could hold a fight. I really couldn't, anyways.

It was silent for a couple more moments.

"See you, then," I said hastily, running off. Scorpius was too intense, sometimes.

A crazy thought entered my mind as I jogged towards the main staircase.

_What if it was Scorpius?_

No. Absolutely not. You know what? I'll…I'll think of something. Before I get into that compartment. Yes.

"Rose? Rose!" Lily's voice called after me as I reached the grounds.

"Lily!" I said enthusiastically. "Do you have any idea where your brother is?"

"Er, yes. I just saw him disappear into the train."

"Thank you!" I yelled before running out. I went onto one of the train's cars, and looked at both of the narrow hallways on either side of me.

I saw a black cloak swish into a compartment on my left. I went after it. I slammed the compartment door open and peered in.

"Rose!" Albus yelled, startled. He leapt off the Hufflepuff girl he was just sucking the face off of.

"Merlin, Al," I made a face, trying to not see what I had just seen happen in front of me. "Can I talk to you?" My eyes flickered towards his bag. He saw me look at it and smirked.

"Fine by me. Excuse us, for a minute?" He smiled charmingly at the poor girl trying not to make eye-contact with me. Albus grabbed his bag and slid out of the compartment.

I grabbed his collar and ran up to the next empty compartment. "Al," I said as nicely as I could. "Give me the cloak, would you?"

Albus raised his eyebrows. "Why would you need it?"

"Oh, er, I dunno. Some last-minute stuff. I guess."

Albus looked at me with questioning eyes, but seemed to think better of it. To my surprise, he handed me the slippery cloak. "Will you finally leave me alone?" he laughed, opening the compartment door and leaving.

I grinned and threw the cloak on. I went through the open compartment door and raced down the long corridor, feeling weightless. I skidded to a halt at the last door and nudged it open a little, to see if anybody was already inside.

They weren't. I pushed it open and took a last glance down the way I had come, sliding the door shut.

The train jolted, and I almost fell over onto one of the cushioned seats. I raced to the window, catching a final glimpse of a distant Hogwarts. I kept my eyes on it until I heard the compartment door slide open again.

I jumped about a foot in the air before quickly remembering that I had an invisibility cloak on. I tugged at the cloak to make sure it hadn't moved and looked towards who had come in.

Scorpius?

It really _was_ him. His cheeks were shaded a pale pink, and his hair looked windswept. I let out a shallow exhale, I didn't realize I had held my breath.

So it was him? This was interesting. Very interesting. I didn't know what to do. My options were simple. I could leave unnoticed, or take off the cloak.

I looked at the door, then at Scorpius. The Gryffindor inside of me was telling me to take off the cloak and figure out why I was here.

I reached for my wand while Scorpius kept looking around. He reached for the corners of the room and hesitantly went to the corner diagonal from the one I was cowering in. I realized what he was doing and ducked out of the way, my back towards the door. Scorpius walked past me.

I clutched my wand in my right hand as my other hand crept slowly towards the latch on the door.

Suddenly, a hand was on my invisible one. I tried to back away before Scorpius could figure out why his hand struck something other than the door.

Scorpius looked surprised as hand dropped back to his side. He looked in my direction carefully, and slowly reached up. He put his hand in front of himself, his fingers outstretched. His hand landed on my head, and he grabbed the fabric of the invisibility cloak, gently pulling it until it slithered to the floor.

I averted my eyes and didn't say anything. Scorpius just sighed.

"I thought I'd find you here," he said finally, pulling out something from his pocket.

He handed me a wrinkled piece of parchment. "You dropped this. Earlier, I mean."

It was the same parchment I had found in the morning.

"It's not you?" I blurted out.

"No," he said darkly. "But I've got a good idea who it is."

"Who?"

"Can I borrow your cloak, Weasley? Just for a second," he said, ignoring my question. I sighed. "Fine."

Whatever.

He grinned in a sarcastic sort of way and pulled the cloak over his head, slamming the door open and peering out.

As he leaned out, I could still see a good bit of the bottom half of him. I decided not to avert my eyes just to spite him.

Or something.

Scorpius closed the door shut and shoved the cloak back into my arms. He muttered a few obscenities under his breath paced a bit around the compartment.

"What?" I said, still holding the cloak.

"Alright. Put that away," he gestured at the cloak. "And brace yourself, Weasley,"

I stared, dumbstruck, but managed to stuff the cloak into my bag. He steered me towards the windows of the compartment, putting himself near the door.

"Well?"

"What is it, Malfoy?" I hissed, feeling wobbly as the train sped over bumpy tracks.

"Get your wand out in front of you!" he warned, and I saw that his wand was out as well.

"Don't be absurd, we don't need—," at that exact moment, the compartment door slammed open and Elise came striding in, her own wand aloft.

"Okay, never mind, never mind. We do." I brandished my wand while mumbling.

Elise looked surprised. "Scorpius," she said sweetly. "What a surprise."

"Elise," he said quietly. "Did you tell Weasley to meet you here?"

"And so what if I did?" she sneered. "Last I checked, it was never any of _your_ business."

Scorpius shook his head. "Elise—," he started.

"Merlin, Scorpius, will you shut up? I haven't done anything!" Elise yelled.

"What are your intentions, then?" Scorpius barked back.

"Just a little girl talk, if you don't mind," Elise's eyes flickered over to me. I was pressed against the window, wishing I could dissolve into the floor. I hadn't been this close to Elise for a very, very long time.

"I do. Leave, Elise."

Elise's face was blank. She walked closer up to Scorpius, so that their faces were only a few inches apart from each other. They were even around the same height.

"I don't have to listen to you anymore," she smiled.

"Why did you take my tie?" I asked timidly, getting revolted from how close Elise was to Scorpius. She backed away and didn't look at me. "I don't know, I guess I just wanted a souvenir, okay? I probably wanted to do some voodoo on you, or something," Elise rolled her eyes. "But I gave it back, out of the kindness of my own heart, because I don't need it anymore."

I didn't say anything. Because, really? Elise was out of her mind.

"Er. Okay," This had gotten a little too bizarre for me. "I'm just going to leave, then," I said slowly, maneuvering around Scorpius and Elise, towards the sanctuary that was the hallway.

"Right, Weasley," Elise pointed her wand at the door, sealing it in place. "You're not really going to be able to wriggle out of this one."

"Elise, this is insane," Scorpius said. "If you've got something to say to her, then say it—but don't lock us in here," he said calmly.

Elise looked from me to Scorpius. I didn't really care what she had to say—I was trying to think of the countercharm for that spell she had just performed. Merlin knows how many spells I've memorized. Now, if only I could figure out if she sealed the door shut or actually locked it...?

"Fine, I'll say it. And I'll start with how absolutely _dense_ Weasley is," she started. I didn't say anything. Elise's insults were old hat, really.

"Is that it?" Scorpius said, rolling his eyes. "Because, if it is—," Scorpius was interrupted.

"Weasley had to go ruining everything that day last year, when she pushed you towards an epiphany about your _feelings_."

"Elise, what does it matter? _You_ ended it, and you did that months after that."

"Yes, only because you were too scared to do it yourself. And then you proceeded to date every student in our year and below ours with a double X chromosome. I remember."

"That doesn't explain anything," Scorpius retorted.

"I only broke up with you later because at first I thought you'd come to your_ senses_," she snapped. "After that, Scorpius, well, I've had you two all figured out."

"Cut the crap, Elise."

"You just don't want the truth getting out. I honestly didn't think you'd wait long to tell her, anyways."

"I really have _no idea_ what you're talking about," Scorpius said, with no emotion showing on his face. "Don't be childish."

"Tell me what?" I said.

Elise smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. "That Scorpius, he's ob—."

"Elise," Scorpius said. "You've got it all mixed up, as usual," he shook his head.

"Right," Elise said softly, clearly unfazed. "Don't pull this act, Scorpius. The whole Slytherin tower knows that you've got a thing for Rose Weasley!"

Nobody said anything.

"Er. Alright. Good one, guys," I said lamely. I clapped slowly. "Really funny. I guess this is a funny way to end the school year, or something. Yeah. Well, it was nice chatting!" I pointed my wand at the door.

Before I could say anything, though, Scorpius spoke.

"Weasley. Hold on a minute."

"No, no. Really. I get it. Ha ha. Ha."

Elise glowered at me. "This isn't a joke," she said.

I lowered my wand. I looked straight at Scorpius. "It's the last day of school, you know," I said. Like, really? _This_ was the situation I was told this in? By someone who_ wasn't_ Scorpius himself? Merlin.

Wait, what?

WHAT!?

"Wha…," my tongue didn't seem to be working. Elise looked at me with a look of extreme disgust on her face.

"Well?" she turned to Scorpius. Scorpius didn't even say a word. "Say something!"

Scorpius didn't oblige. His mouth looked thinner than I'd ever seen it.

Elise just looked at us. "You know what? I deserved better anyways," she said, shooting a spell at the door. "This is just so _ridiculous_! Scorpius, you're just a coward—and Weasley? Weasley, you might be the top of our grade, but you're just as _thick_! Have a nice life," she rolled her eyes.

Elise put her wand away roughly and glided out the door.

"What," I said sharply, "was that all about!?"

Scorpius sat down and put his head in his hands. "She's right, Weasley," he said.

I sat down, too. "Wow," I said. "And today, of all days?"

"Well, I wasn't going to tell you, obviously," his conceited tone was picking up again. "I was going to move on, maybe marry a nice girl from a family my grandparents wouldn't hate…"

I leaned against the wall for support. My knees had gone weak, for some reason.

"Well," I said, feeling my ears go warm. "I-I don't see why you have to do that."

"Do what?"

"Move on, of course. There's no reason for you to," I mean, right? Scorpius couldn't be that bad. Maybe I could, erm, think about it. Or something.

"There isn't? Come off it, Weasley, you ha—," he tried to say.

"No, no I don't."

He looked at me, just like he did that time on the train platform almost seven years ago, from my feet, slowly, all the way up to my head. He smiled this time. "You don't?"

"Well, I've obviously got to be the bigger person here," I sighed, trying to look frustrated. I failed. Scorpius just smiled wider. "I suppose, you know, over the summer, or something. Erm. Maybe in the immediate summer. I could, meet you. For, er, ice cream."

"That sounds doable." He said, repressing a laugh. "I can write you," he shrugged.

I nodded, for once, not being able to think of anything to say. "Okay."

For a little while, there wasn't anything else to say. We just looked out the window.

Scorpius finally spoke.

"So, what are you going to do after you get your test results back?" he asked, leaning back into the seat.

"Well, if you'd really like to know...," I started hesitantly, easing into the seat as well.

It was a long train ride, after all.

* * *

Yay! :D I really hope this story was fun to read for you, I had a lot of fun writing it. Thankyouthankyouthankyou to all the people who've reviewed and watched and favorited this story! I know I was really late...um...in posting this last chapter (I'm not even going to try to explain my way out of that one.)...*shields self* but. I hope this last chapter was okay. I also hope you'll look out for other stuff I'll write :) I love reading your reviews, so if you haven't reviewed this story at all--well please do so, as this is your last chance and all :)

Thank you again, really. And I promise not to be THIS ridiculously late with anything ever again...

-E :)


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